Sunday, April 12 (Online)

Empathy as Spiritual Practice

Empathy is the ability to deeply understand and share another person’s experience and perspective.  It’s more than just sympathy (feeling for someone); empathy is feeling with them and seeing the world from their frame of reference, enabling genuine connection and support without necessarily taking on their burden as your own.

Empathy means listening deeply, releasing judgment, validating feelings, and offering compassionate presence instead of fixing the problem.

1 Peter 3:8 (NIV): “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”

John 11:35:  Jesus Weeps: Jesus wept with Mary and Martha, demonstrating deep emotional connection to their grief.

Spiritual Practices to Cultivate Empathy 

• Practice active listening.
• Give the speaker your full attention and listen to understand.
• Clear your mind while listening.
• Set aside your own opinions, assumptions, and solutions.
• Release judgment.
• Allow the other person’s feelings and experience without criticism.
• Acknowledge and validate feelings.
• Recognize the emotional reality the person is expressing.
• Ask open, thoughtful questions.
• Invite deeper sharing with curiosity and care.
• Be fully present.
• Remove distractions and offer your undivided attention.
• Use supportive body language.
• Show engagement through eye contact, nodding, and an attentive posture.
• Reflect back what you hear.
• Paraphrase or summarize to show understanding.
• Offer compassionate support.
• Express care and willingness to help rather than rushing to fix.
• Practice empathy consistently.
• Make empathy a daily habit in conversations and relationships.

Join us with Rev Martha this week for this important message on cultivating and improving our relationships and connections.

To view the SLC Troy Sunday 10 a.m. EST Service, click: